Alex's Destiny (Racing To Love) (21 page)

Levi was on roll. Luckily, he said he needed to go make a couple of phone calls before he headed to Tasia’s for dinner. Alex was happy for the two of them, and listening to each of them, she was starting to see the pieces of a puzzle fall into place.

She needed to get up, and at least put her hair in a bun and put on her shoes. Instead, after he left, Alex closed her eyes and wrapped her arm around Ruby’s body. It was frustrating to know Levi’s words about
Dallas made sense, but she couldn’t seem to get back to normal. For every two steps forward she made, the progress slipped and she’d fall back again. There were too many little things to focus on, making the big picture impossible to see. She couldn’t even really remember
normal
anymore.

A tear escaped, rolling down her cheek.

“Ah, baby. I’m right here. Shh.”

Opening her eyes,
Dallas’s hand neared her, wiping her tear away. She didn’t want to be that girl, but she sat up and threw her arms around him. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m sorry. I try, but I can’t help it.”

Dallas
sat on the bed and gathered her into his arms. Even though she was relieved to have him back home, another tear managed to drop. He cradled her head, kissing her forehead.

“Get some shoes on. I need to do something.”

“Aren’t you frustrated with me. I...God, I hate being this way. You’ve got to be sick of me.”

With a thousand watt smile, he shook his head, jerking it in the direction of her closet. “Shoes. Ruby, you too, girl. Let’s go.”

As big as she was, it was like she knew it was work time. She was instantly in the doorway in a perfect sit position waiting on her next command. With Dallas holding his hand out for hers, Alex hopped on one foot while trying to pull on her second shoe. He wasn’t even giving her time to untie them first as she continued to sniff, the tears not completely finished yet. “I’m coming. Geez.”

The television was off and Jack, Uncle Mike and her dad were both gone when they reached the bottom of the stairs. “Did they already leave?”

“Yeah, I told them we’d meet them there in a little bit.”

“Oh,” she replied, relaxing a bit after realizing she hadn’t been alone in the house after all.

Dallas pulled her along behind him, through the garage and to ‘
the
’ Jeep. She didn’t even refer to it as hers anymore. She was tugging her seatbelt across her chest, but he reached over and finished latching it for her as if she wasn’t moving fast enough to please him. Pulling away, he didn’t head to his parent‘s house where dinner was being served. Instead, he went through the grass. Not flying through the field for fun, but easing toward the tree line that marked the property line between the whole Noland land and her Aunt Erin’s parent‘s acreage. Alex glanced at her driver, but he didn’t catch her. He continued to stare, eyes on the field with a weird grin across his face.

Ruby moved forward, resting her head on Alex’s shoulder and blocking her view of
Dallas. They hadn’t taken her this far out on the land yet, and she could sense the dog was hesitant to have Alex this far away in the open and out of her control. Her second mother placed a large paw on her thigh as if she was holding her in place. Alex couldn’t help but feel loved and hugged Ruby tighter.

“We’re here. Come on, girls.”

“The stream?” Dallas winked to answer. “But? It’s almost time for dinner. Don’t we need to get to your parent‘s house?”

“They’ll wait. I promise.”

Once again, she didn’t seem to move fast enough for him. Taking his hand, she let him help her out of the Jeep and lead her to the place where water was the only thing dividing the two properties. The water was crystal clear as it ran over the smooth rocks on the bottom. It was narrow where they were, but every summer they would make their way up to a larger pool on the other side of the invisible line and swim. They’d spend hours on rafts, drinking beer, splashing, and even jumping off the rope swing. It had become a summer tradition that even Erin’s parents and all their family joined together for.

“Careful, Lex.”

Her shoe slid on the wet rock. Dallas helped her get to the large flat rock that was known as the make-out spot. It was a family secret, not mentioned to anyone visiting the academy. But she knew by the smirks, jokes and teasing that her parents and aunts and uncles had all visited it at various times over the years…more than once.

“So, hey. You never said, is everything okay with Eli? You have me kind of worried.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll tell you here in a minute. I need to talk to you first.”

Raising her eyebrow, she noticed he fidgeted, and his smile tugged at his mouth. He seemed nervous. “Okay?”

Grabbing both her hands, Dallas turned to face her. “Alex. Sweetie. I need to talk to you, but I need to make sure you are absolutely clear on something.”

She thought her anxiety had reached the ceiling already, but he just shot her through the roof. Her heart pounded, and although she was trying to concentrate on his words and him…nothing made sense.

“I love you.”

Alex couldn’t respond…she stared hard at him, watching his every movement, studying his face.

“I want this more than anything, and have for years. And so we’re clear, it’s not because I think I have to. I would have probably waited until I thought it was the right time, but today I realized, we both need it. Now.”

She furrowed her brow, swallowing hard, and she was breathing harder than if she’d run laps on the track. Tipping her head, she couldn’t bear to ask the question. He stood and her eyes followed.

Then her life went into slow motion. Dragging a velvet box from his pocket, he slowly kneeled in front of her.

“Alexandra Noland Sterling. You took me by the hand twenty years ago and you’ve been by my side every day since. You know me better than I know myself. I have always loved you…and I always will. You stole my heart before I knew what that meant, and you’ve held it in your hands since then. I need you.

We’ve always had a life together, but separate. Now, let’s make it our life together, forever. Will you please grant me the one thing I need in life? Will you marry me?”

She felt him falling. The next thing she knew they were both in the stream soaking wet.

He held her to him in the water, not quite a foot deep, but cold from the trees blocking the sun. She didn’t care. Alex kissed his neck, his cheeks, and then laid her lips over his. Chills covered her from head-to-toe, but it wasn’t the breeze or the water. It was his tongue seeking hers. She was kneeling over his lap, holding his face in her hands, but he took over, kissing her with a demanding need she could sense coiling inside of him. Dallas ran his hands over her. Each touch left a scorching trail of fire that had her squeezing her thighs on either side of his. He groaned into her mouth, and she felt him grow hard underneath her as she sat straddling him.

Gasping for air, she pulled away and his mouth trailed down her jaw. Tipping her head skyward, he ran his tongue over the sensitive skin of her neck.

“Oh, God, Lex,” he breathed against her. Laying his head against her chest, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly to her pounding heart. “Is that a
yes
, baby?”

“Oh my God! Yes! I forgot to tell you yes!” Still needing air to breathe after the most passionate kiss of the century, she struggled as she started to laugh. So happy, tears started to pool in her eyes as she continued to laugh and kiss on him.

There was splashing behind them, and she turned in his lap to see Ruby walking their way through the water.

“Now that’s above and beyond the call of duty, Ruby. What a good girl, your mama owes you a really special treat.”
Dallas chuckled as he took the box from Ruby’s mouth and winked at her. “You’re so lucky I dropped this before you jumped on me, pushing me into the stream.”

“Shit. I didn’t even realize it. Everything went from zero-to-sixty. The next thing I knew you dropped me in the water.”

“Don’t you even try to tell that story, girl. You jumped me.”

“I didn’t
jump
you. I jumped
on
you. There’s a big difference.” She laughed.

“Not when I repeat how it happened, there won’t be.” He teased back. “I will say, this will be a memorable proposal, right?”

“Yeah. I think you’re absolutely right on that.”             

Opening the box, the smile fell away from her face and her jaw dropped. It wasn’t the biggest diamond in the world, but it didn’t need to be because it was the most beautiful. The setting and band almost looked antique. “Oh my God…Dallas. It’s beautiful.” Glancing up at him, her head fell to the side. “But when? You’ve been with me all the time?”

“This is what Dad wanted to talk to me about. Like he always does, he just knew I would be proposing soon, and before I bought anything, he wanted to give me this. It was his grandmother’s.”

Alex screwed her eyes tight, but the tears welled up quickly. It was so perfect. She had heard how much Eli adored his grandmother, and although she passed way too early, he held onto her stories and memories, sharing them often. The fact that he loved Dallas and her enough to share her wedding ring with them meant the world. There was no brand new ring, no diamond in the world, more valuable than that.

When her eyes opened, the tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love it. It couldn’t be more perfect.”

Dallas
removed it and tossed the velvet keepsake box gently to the grass and rocks at the side of the stream. Sliding it on her left hand forced more tears to pour down her face. The words he’d prefaced the moment with, now made sense, and she wouldn’t question him. Alex knew him too well. He would never have asked her if he didn’t feel it in his heart.

There in the middle of the cold creek water, still straddling the man she’d loved a lifetime already, a weight suddenly fell away from her shoulders. She was complete. She was whole. She was herself. There would always be the haunting memories. There would be the trial to get through. There would be some moments she would struggle with but for the first time in weeks, she felt like her old self.

Joy overtook her. Smiling brightly and laughing uncontrollably, she fell off his lap and deeper into the water. Realizing she wasn’t many layers above a wet t-shirt contest only made her laugh harder. She slipped and splashed Dallas. Alex hadn’t meant to, but he splashed her back, starting a war.

“Hey!” Standing, she kicked water at him, then bent over to use both hands, cupping as much as she could. Ruby jumped in further, until she was as soaked as both of them.

“Uncle…uncle,” he raised his hands in surrender. “Come here, my future Mrs. Hunter.”

“I like the sound of that.” Alex grinned, mirroring his actions as he slid his arms around her waist.

“You want to run to the house and change so we can go eat?”

“Nope.”

“What do you mean? You got us both drenched?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes. That is the version of the story everyone is going to hear.”

Alex rolled her eyes and smiled. “Well, I don’t care. We’re going there right now. I’m not waiting to tell them for even one minute longer.”

“But we’re wet.” He laughed, helping her across the rocks with Ruby running ahead of them to shake off. “Ah, Rube.” They put their hands out. “Babe, you’re getting us.”

“It’s sunny out. We’ll dry.”

“Okay. Anything for you, Mrs. Hunter.” Dallas said, his voice yelling the last two words proudly as he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the Jeep. Depositing her in the passenger seat, he leaned in. “I love you so much, Alex.”

“I love you too. More than anything.”

She met his mouth for one more lingering kiss as a wet furry passenger hopped in on the driver’s side.

“What do you think, Ruby? Think Grandpa will let us build our own little house here somewhere?”
Dallas asked rubbing her head.

Alex’s eyes went wide at the thought. She’d never given much time to thinking of her own place. But now, the idea of a home of their own—warmed her heart in a whole new way.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Here, hon. Grab this will you?” Molly asked, handing Alex the fresh apple pie. “I’ll get the plates. Dallas, Carter…dessert. Hey Carter, holler up to Jack, would you please?”

“Sure, gorgeous.”

Dallas
’s mouth started watering as Alex placed the cinnamon-scented god-send on the table.

“My mother is spoiling you.” She snickered.

He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her onto his lap. “I know. And I love every minute of it.” Dallas started to tickle her and she kicked and squealed.

Laughing loudly, she turned to an ally. “Stop…Mom, make him stop.”

With the family heirloom, lovingly placed on her left hand, life was starting to drift back to normal. Although Dallas knew she felt safer with her Uncle Mike and Aunt Taryn there, they each had work to check in on in Kansas and they’d promised to be back by the weekend. Mike was imposing, even without the badge and gun that backed up his words. If it came down to it, there was a security they’d all have to admit they felt when he was around. Including Dallas.

Ruby woke and trotted to the kitchen door, he quit tormenting his fiancé, but kept her on his lap for the time being. “Someone must be coming?” Waiting several minutes, sure enough, James knocked twice before he and Karen walked into the kitchen. Before either said hello, they both greeted the dog first.
Dallas chuckled as James pulled a dog bone out of his pocket. “Talk about spoiled.”

“You’re a sweet girl, aren’t you, Ruby? Yes you are. You’re Grandpa’s girl,” James said.

“I’ve seen Grandpa in many different lights. This is one I never thought I’d see.” Alex shook her head and stood up to greet them both.

“Well guess what I’ve got for you.” James held up a set of blue-prints.

Standing on her tip-toes, she threw her arms around his neck. Dallas’s heart was pounding. He was excited to see the designs he’d come up with.  But more so, it just made him feel so good to see Alex so happy, knowing he had a part in that, in bringing her back from the brink. “Here you go. Do you just want to spread them out over here?” Dallas asked, moving the pie over to the side of the table.

“Yeah, Mom, Dad? I’ll put some coffee on, and I’ve got freshly baked apple pie and vanilla ice cream. You want to join us?”

For an hour, James poured over the main layout then went into the details. He asked questions, made notes, and changed things as they went along. It was perfect and everything Dallas wanted in a house. Not so big that they would be overwhelmed, yet they would never have to move. With an access road, they’d be able to build it back by the tree line, close to the stream, near the spot he had proposed to Alex. The house had a rustic feel and was very open. Dallas couldn’t wait to sit out back and enjoy the trickle of the stream in the early mornings while drinking coffee.

Ruby growled, a low, fierce rumble, over and over.

“Ruby? What’s wrong?” Alex asked, her face pained.

The hair on the dog’s back stood on end, and she started pacing the kitchen. She walked a clear and obvious path in front of Alex, not allowing her to move. “She’s never done this before,”
Dallas said to the room of people. “Alex, stay there.”

Looking through the living room window, he tried to see into the dark, but there was nothing. Swiftly moving to the laundry room, he grabbed the binoculars he knew were stored there. Moving to a different window,
Dallas tried to search the area surrounding the academy and track. It was hard to see much through the combination of night and trees, but instinct turned his blood to ice.

Damn near running back through the house, he laid the binoculars on the table and grabbed his cell, punching in Levi’s number. When he got no answer, he immediately dialed his sister. “Levi there?”

“Yeah, but we’re just getting ready to go for a walk,” she replied like a young girl in love.

“I need him—now, Tasia! I’m not joking around here.”

“Okay?”

Dallas
heard her moving about, then Levi answered, “Everything alright?”

“Did you say it was a dark-colored car, possibly four-door?”

“What?”

“The car, Levi! That bastard’s car. Is it dark, and a sedan sort of car?”

The air changed between the two men, understanding dawning. “Where the fuck are you?”

“Go block the main road. Take Dad. I’m on my way. He’s scouting the school.”

Dallas shoved his cell in his back pocket, and turned to Alex with an overload of adrenaline coursing through him. “Stay here!”

“
Dallas!”

“Stay. Here. Alex. I mean it. Ruby, come.” The dog was on high-alert, still pacing the area in front of Alex, and still hadn’t let her get up from her chair. Upon his command, she sprinted to the back door. Once it was opened, she took off past the cars running through the field toward the school. Jumping in the jeep, he pulled out of the drive, squealing the back tires on the concrete before he hit grass. Following Ruby through the field as the crow flies, he left his headlights off and thanked God for the full moon. Her collar’s reflective strip was what he kept an eye on. He knew the land like the back of his hand, but he didn’t want to accidently hit their beloved dog. He knew something was wrong the minute she made that angry protective noise unlike anything he’d ever heard from her. Nearing the school he rolled closer, but was careful to stay in the shadows.
Dallas watched Ruby go on guard, crouching down, stalking her way around the side of the building to the front door of the academy offices. There he was again. Dallas’s anger went from a rolling boil to a raging inferno in less than a breath.

Creeping out of the Jeep, he mimicked the four-legged cop. She never barked, never alerted the predator she was coming. From the dark of the night, she jumped, taking the bastard down with one try.

Growling, barking, screaming all mixed in the quiet night air beneath the moonlight. Rolling into the overhead light of the building, Dallas recognized him. Gut instinct told him all along it was Alex’s attacker. Their dog’s teeth digging into the man’s neck, keeping him pinned to the ground, let him know for sure.

Dallas
snapped. Taking Ruby’s spot, he started swinging, punch after punch connecting with the man’s face. Though he’d never been caught, he had a restraining order against him, a piece of paper their only legal means of defense against the predator. One he probably didn’t even know about. Well, he’d violated it, so in Dallas’s mind he was fair game. He was taking the law into his own hands, defending the woman he loved, and he was going to make sure the bastard was never able to come near her again.

“
Dallas!”

Her voice stilled his arm as it was cocked back, ready for another blow. With Derek pinned to the ground underneath him, and Ruby on point, teeth bared, and ready to attack again, he glanced over his shoulder. “Alex! What are you doing? I told you to stay there.”

“Move.”

It was then he caught her hand at her side. He rolled off the jackass, and wiped his victim’s blood off his fists onto his pants.

“Ruby, here.” She demanded and the dog was instantly at her side, but not sitting. She was ready to pounce again.

This was a side of Alex he’d never seen. Chillingly calm. Her words, deliberate, clipped and powerful. Derek cussed a line of obscenities a mile long as he picked himself up off the ground. The flood lights were switched on, and
Dallas realized they were surrounded by everyone in the family. What didn’t shock him one bit was his girl had a gun.
Her
gun.

They’d grown up outside. Roaming the six-hundred-plus acres without a care in the world was natural. They’d all learned to shoot, fish, and although Alex never liked to go, the boys all hunted. She may not have liked the idea of killing animals, but the girl’s aim was dead-on.

She could wear sexy jeans and cowboy boots, a dress and high heels, or better yet, riding boots and a tank top. Long golden-blonde waves reached her lower back, and she had big ice-blue eyes. Some days she was a pony tail and no make-up kind of girl, some days she was a run-way bomb shell. A princess with manners, and a total tom-boy all wrapped up inside the same package. Alex had taken her licks over the years. Between racing, climbing trees, and following him, Chance, and Jack wherever they went, and doing whatever they could do, she had proven she was made of steel. Yet, she had a heart of gold.

On one fateful night, within minutes, that monster nearly broke her spirit. The one
Dallas loved with a deep-rooted passion. He almost stole the fire from her, silenced the innocence of her soul, and buried the sweet heart within her. But the girl slowly making her way closer to her attacker was
his
Alex. There was anger in her eyes unlike anything Dallas had ever seen. But, she was back, and she was ready to stand up for herself once again. It was uneven, but this time, the odds were in her favor.

“You aren’t supposed to be here,” she spit out through gritted teeth.

“What are you going to do, shoot me here with all these witnesses?”

She narrowed her gaze, leveling him. “What witnesses? I don’t see anyone around. It’s just you and me here.”

“You think you can get away with that?”

“Trust me, you don’t deserve one quick shot to the head. I wouldn’t let you off that easily. You deserve to suffer.”

He wiped the blood running from his nose and mouth. Alex pulled her cell from her back pocket with one hand, her other still holding her pistol. “Yes, I need the police here at the Noland Academy. Now. I have the scum who attacked me. He is back on my property. He has violated the restraining order against him, and I am standing with my gun pointed at his head.” With her last word, her arm moved upward, and Derek took a step back. “I wouldn’t move one more inch if I were you. I have no problem putting a bullet in you,
with
the police on the line. Yes, that’s him…attempted rape…yes. Thank you. No, I’ll stay on the line. Especially since he’s threatened us again. I’m done living in fear—I won’t do it anymore.”

Dallas
knew the eerie calm that had settled over her was adrenaline. It had happened to him once during a wreck. It was a sense of fight or flight, this time she wasn’t left alone to fight her battle. No one was saying a word though. She needed this. Alex needed a sense of power over him to reclaim her life again. He had no doubt she was telling that asshole the truth. If she felt threatened in the least little bit, she’d pull the trigger.

Alex believed in the justice system, and good versus evil prevailing in the world. She was a country girl who loved the military and the red, white and blue. It was those country girls men like Derek needed to learn they should not cross. She’d been caught off guard that night, and he’d been able to get to her. That wouldn’t happen again.

Sirens wailed from two directions.

She pulled in steady breaths, but never took her eyes off of the bloodied man.

“Don’t move.”

At the cops direction Ruby’s hair stood on end again. Alex never lowered her weapon. The second cop hurried to Derek, yanking his arms behind his back. As soon as he was cuffed, she pointed the gun to the sky.

“In case you were wondering if it was loaded or not,” she pulled the trigger, making Derek flinch in the hold of the cops. “It always is. Don’t come back. Don’t come near me. I will protect myself, and my family, at all costs. Trust me, if there is a next time, it won’t be
my
blood my grandfather has to clean up. Remember that.”

The officer started to walk Derek toward the police car.

“Wait,” she said. “One more thing.”

It happened in the blink of an eye. She reared back and with all her might, she connected with his face, snapping his neck to the side. Shaking her hand,
Dallas knew she’d broken it—again. He waited until Derek was shut inside the car to chuckle.

“Let me see, baby.” Feeling her hand, sure enough it started swelling in his hold. Ruby barked at him. He glanced down at her. “What’s that about? You’ve never barked at me before, girl?” She barked again, but didn’t stop until he let go of Alex’s hand. When he did, she started licking it. “Ah. You know she’s hurt don’t you, honey.”

Mid-lick, Ruby stopped and started tugging on the hem of Alex’s shirt without letting up. Dallas noticed then Alex was starting to shake. “Lex, sit down. Easy now. I’ve got you.”

“The adrenaline is kicking in. I’ve got a blanket in my patrol car.”

Between Dallas and the officer, they got her wrapped up tight, even with Ruby not moving out of their way. He knew he’d gotten her a guard dog, but Dallas had no idea the lengths Ruby would go to, including bossing him around in order to do her job. “You’re a good girl,” he said, scratching her ear. She kept her head resting near Alex’s and continued to lick her cheek as if to soothe her.

“Do you think it’s broken,
Dallas?” Carter asked.

He and the cop both nodded, it definitely needed casting. With the imminent threat removed in cuffs, and her dog lulling her, Alex’s eyes got heavy. The officer reached out for Ruby, but
Dallas knew there was no way she was going to move even an inch away from the woman she was protecting. After everything that just took place, Dallas began to wonder how they were going to get Alex away from Ruby in order to get her to the hospital